§ Mr. MilburnTo ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) pursuant to his answer of 22 June,Official Report, columns 61–62, what assessment he has made of whether the coverage of the assisted areas is likely to decrease, following the current review;
(2) what role the European Commission will have in determining the precise extent of the new assisted areas map or the split between development areas and intermediate areas.
§ Mr. SainsburyUnder the state aids provisions of the treaty of Rome the Government will have to clear any new map of the assisted areas, including the designation of development and intermediate areas, with the European Commission.
§ Mr. MilburnTo ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 22 June,Official Report, columns 61–62, if he will indicate what views the European Commission have expressed about the current and future extent of the assisted areas map.
§ Mr. SainsburyThe current assisted areas map was cleared by the European Commission in 1984 under the state aid provisions of the treaty of Rome. No proposals on the future shape of the map have yet been put to the Commission.